diff --git a/lib/awful/layout/suit/fair.lua.in b/lib/awful/layout/suit/fair.lua.in
index 5de18e5e..9fc15764 100644
--- a/lib/awful/layout/suit/fair.lua.in
+++ b/lib/awful/layout/suit/fair.lua.in
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- @author Julien Danjou <julien@danjou.info>
--- @copyright 2008 Julien Danjou
+-- @author Josh Komoroske
+-- @copyright 2012 Josh Komoroske
 -- @release @AWESOME_VERSION@
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -16,46 +16,66 @@ local function do_fair(p, orientation)
     local wa = p.workarea
     local cls = p.clients
 
+    -- Swap workarea dimensions, if our orientation is "east"
+    if orientation == 'east' then
+        wa.width, wa.height = wa.height, wa.width
+        wa.x, wa.y = wa.y, wa.x
+    end
+
     if #cls > 0 then
-        local cells = math.ceil(math.sqrt(#cls))
-        local strips = math.ceil(#cls / cells)
+        local rows, cols = 0, 0
+        if #cls == 2 then
+            rows, cols = 1, 2
+        else
+            rows = math.ceil(math.sqrt(#cls))
+            cols = math.ceil(#cls / rows)
+        end
 
-        local cell = 0
-        local strip = 0
         for k, c in ipairs(cls) do
+            k = k - 1
             local g = {}
-            if ( orientation == "east" and #cls > 2 )
-            or ( orientation == "south" and #cls <= 2 ) then
-                if #cls < (strips * cells) and strip == strips - 1 then
-                    g.width = wa.width / (cells - ((strips * cells) - #cls))
-                else
-                    g.width = wa.width / cells
-                end
-                g.height = wa.height / strips
 
-                g.x = wa.x + cell * g.width
-                g.y = wa.y + strip * g.height
+            local row, col = 0, 0
+            row = k % rows
+            col = math.floor(k / rows)
+
+            local lrows, lcols = 0, 0
+            if k >= rows * cols - rows then
+                lrows = #cls - (rows * cols - rows)
+                lcols = cols
             else
-                if #cls < (strips * cells) and strip == strips - 1 then
-                    g.height = wa.height / (cells - ((strips * cells) - #cls))
-                else
-                    g.height = wa.height / cells
-                end
-                g.width = wa.width / strips
-
-                g.x = wa.x + strip * g.width
-                g.y = wa.y + cell * g.height
+                lrows = rows
+                lcols = cols
+            end
+
+            if row == lrows - 1 then
+                g.height = wa.height - math.ceil(wa.height / lrows) * row
+                g.y = wa.height - g.height
+            else
+                g.height = math.ceil(wa.height / lrows)
+                g.y = g.height * row
+            end
+
+            if col == lcols - 1 then
+                g.width = wa.width - math.ceil(wa.width / lcols) * col
+                g.x = wa.width - g.width
+            else
+                g.width = math.ceil(wa.width / lcols)
+                g.x = g.width * col
             end
 
-            g.width = g.width - c.border_width * 2
             g.height = g.height - c.border_width * 2
-            c:geometry(g)
+            g.width = g.width - c.border_width * 2
+            g.y = g.y + wa.y
+            g.x = g.x + wa.x
 
-            cell = cell + 1
-            if cell == cells then
-                cell = 0
-                strip = strip + 1
+            -- Swap window dimensions, if our orientation is "east"
+            if orientation == 'east' then
+                g.width, g.height = g.height, g.width
+                g.x, g.y = g.y, g.x
             end
+
+            c:geometry(g)
         end
     end
 end